logo
Russia voices concern over threat of new strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities

Russia voices concern over threat of new strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Moscow was concerned about the threat of new strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex, after the US struck the underground nuclear facility, near Qom, Iran June 22(REUTERS/File)
She added that a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme could also be reached through dialogue.
On June 13, Israel launched an aerial attack on Iran, which made way for an escalated conflict between the two nations for the next twelve days over the Iranian nuclear programme. The conflict, that caused several casualties on both sides, finally came to a halt on June 24, when Iran and Israel agreed on a mutual ceasefire.
Amid the conflict between the two middle eastern neighbours, the United States also stepped in the war like situation. The country along with Israel bombed nuclear facilities in Iran on June 22.
US president Donald Trump said key Iranian nuclear facilities, including the underground Fordo uranium enrichment site, had been "totally obliterated" by American B-2 bombers, it was reported earlier.
Iran's supreme leader Khamenei dismissed the United States' claims, saying "the Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America".
The attack followed Iran's atomic energy agency claiming that nuclear sites were being rebuilt and that activity would continue there with 'greater power'.
These attacks were followed by Iran attacking United States' nuclear bases located in Qatar on June 23. The strike caused damage to US's Al Udeid Air Base, showed satellite images.
Zakharova said that a promise of no new strikes was a prerequisite for the resumption of cooperation between Iran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA).
Both sides claimed victory over the twelve day war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "historic win", while Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran's missile retaliation had brought Israel to the brink of collapse.
Iran reportedly replaced its air defences, that were damaged during its last month's conflict with Israel, about a week ago.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

TCS layoffs row: Karnataka seeks clarity on reported termination of 12,000 employees
TCS layoffs row: Karnataka seeks clarity on reported termination of 12,000 employees

Hindustan Times

time26 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

TCS layoffs row: Karnataka seeks clarity on reported termination of 12,000 employees

Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad on Thursday said his department has asked Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to explain the reasons behind the reported large-scale layoffs. The move is part of the company's broader realignment strategy to become a "future-ready organisation'.(REUTERS/ Representative) "Yesterday we got information that TCS has laid off 12,000 employees. Our department has called TCS officials just to have a consultation to know the reason," the minister told reporters in Bengaluru according to news agency PTI. He said that sunrise industries have been exempted from labour laws, but with conditions. "We have kept the sunrise companies outside the ambit of labour laws, and for the past five years, we have been giving them exemption year after year. But there are conditions attached," Lad noted. (Also Read: All of a sudden, 12,000 people…': Karnataka labour minister calls TCS layoffs 'alarming') "If they want to lay off somebody, they have to give us information. Accordingly, we are talking to them," he added. TCS has reportedly indicated that it plans to reduce around 2% of its global workforce, about 12,261 employees, this year, primarily affecting middle and senior-level staff. As of June 30, 2025, TCS had a workforce of 6,13,069 and added 5,000 new employees in the April–June quarter. The move is part of the company's broader realignment strategy to become a "future-ready organisation," with a focus on AI deployment, technology investments, market expansion, and organisational restructuring. Meanwhile, the Karnataka State IT/ITeS Employees Union (KITU) has raised a strong objection to the layoffs. The union has filed a complaint against TCS with the Additional Labour Commissioner G Manjunath. In a statement, the union said it is demanding legal action against the company's management for violating provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, and for not complying with the conditions mandated by the Karnataka government concerning the reporting of employee status. Minister Lad further said that another reason for summoning TCS and other companies was to inform them that the state government is not accepting their request to extend working hours to 9–10 hours a day. "If employees are ready to work, then we will consider the request as per the guidelines and grant permission. But this is subject to employees' willingness. Those who reject the permission will not be forced to do it,' Lad clarified. He also said implementing longer working hours isn't practical given the time lost in traffic. "As a minister too, when I see the proposal of increasing working hours, I feel it's not scientific. Increasing hours might be feasible for a week or ten days, but not throughout the year given Bengaluru's traffic," Lad explained. He added that while the industry may claim longer hours benefit both employers and employees, such measures can't be imposed universally. "Employees who agree to increase working hours must give written consent, but we cannot implement it across the board,' the minister said. (With PTI inputs) (Also Read: Karnataka railway clerk suspended after ignoring passengers for 15-minute phone chat, video goes viral)

Coming up Trumps against tariff threat
Coming up Trumps against tariff threat

Hindustan Times

time26 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Coming up Trumps against tariff threat

India's garments exports — that have stagnated in the $16-18 billion range over the last 10 years — now face an additional threat. Effective August 1, the Trump administration has more than doubled the tariff on Indian exports to 25%, with a threat of an additional penalty. Major apparel supplier Vietnam, on the other hand, recently secured a last-minute deal to cap US tariffs at 20% on many of its exports — giving it further advantage against India — while Bangladesh, another major competitor, is looking to secure a similar deal as Vietnam in the next few days. The apparel sector can lift millions out of poverty, as seen in Bangladesh, where garment work has empowered women at scale. (REUTERS) The US imported almost $85 billion worth of garments in 2024, of which India accounted for about $10.5 billion. While the latest tariff announcement can be seen as a setback, India still has three aces up its sleeve to neutralise its impact and push firmly towards its $100 billion textile exports target. These aces are concluding the free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU, ensuring the supply of raw material at competitive prices, and an incentive and reforms package tailored for employment generation through apparel exports. The first ace India must play is to expedite the FTA with the EU. Currently, the EU is the largest garments importer with an import value close to $200 billion. India only captures $5 billion of this against Bangladesh's $25 billion. The primary reason is the 10% duty advantage enjoyed by Bangladesh due to its LDC status, which allows it to export to the EU duty-free. If India were to sign an FTA with the EU on the lines of the recently concluded UK FTA, this disparity will vanish — making Indian exporters highly competitive in the largest market in the world. The second ace India needs to deal is addressing the high cost of raw material for its textile and apparel industry. Cotton, the lifeblood of our textile industry, carries an import duty of around 10% imposed in 2021. Duties are even higher when it comes to synthetic-fibre-based products. For example, the basic customs duty on polyester fabric is 20%, which raises the cost of synthetic fabric in the market. While garment exporters are allowed to import fabrics duty-free under the advance authorisation scheme, it is currently extremely restrictive and rigid. A few simple but far-reaching reforms can enable Indian exporters to access fabric at globally competitive prices, on a par with their Bangladeshi counterparts. First, simplify the input-output norms and allow exporters to import fabrics on self-certification basis with post-export audit, on the lines of the EU. Second, allow exporters to import inputs against export orders or contracts without prior licence. Finally, allow exporters or third parties to pool inputs or maintain bonded warehouses for multi-party use and treat sales of fabric to exporters as deemed exports. In addition to these, rationalisation of import duties on both cotton and synthetic fibres, yarn, and fabrics would eliminate the substantial disability Indian garment exporters face on account of raw material. The third ace that India must play is a package of carefully crafted policy measures and reforms for the garment sector to enhance competitiveness to world-beating levels. Such measures would include a suitable incentive scheme for the garment sector — one that is easy to avail and is export- and job-centric. The scheme would essentially function as an employment-linked incentive (ELI) — rewarding companies not just for production volumes, but for the number of new jobs they create and sustain in the sector. For it to be truly effective, such a scheme should be skewed towards large manufacturing units that employ, say, 1,000+ workers, to drive economies of scale and higher productivity. The government must also extend the Rebate of State & Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) — which refunds embedded taxes to exporters — beyond 2026 to keep Indian apparel prices competitive globally. In addition to incentives, the government must fast-track the completion and operationalisation of the new PM MITRA textile parks. These parks should become magnets for textile and garment manufacturers through world-class infrastructure, responsive governance, and easier regulation around land, labour, and environment. The goal must be to make India the supplier of choice in terms of cost and reliability. The apparel sector can lift millions out of poverty, as seen in Bangladesh, where garment work has empowered women at scale. India can replicate and surpass that model by consciously steering policy to favour labour-intensive growth. The encouraging news is that global brands are already showing interest. From Japan to West Asia, buyers are in talks to tap into India's expanding production capacity and favourable incentive structure. This confidence, combined with the right policy push, could help India achieve the government's ambitious target of $100 billion in textile and apparel exports by 2030, up from roughly $30-40 billion (including yarn and fabric) today. Achieving this would vault India into the upper ranks of global apparel exporters, close in on rivals and create an estimated 2.5 crore new jobs by 2030 — a transformation with profound social and economic benefits. Ashish Dhawan is founder-CEO and Piyush Doshi is operating partner, The Convergence Foundation. The views expressed are personal.

Malegaon blast verdict: M.P. BJP leaders seek apology from Congress, Digvijaya Singh
Malegaon blast verdict: M.P. BJP leaders seek apology from Congress, Digvijaya Singh

The Hindu

time26 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Malegaon blast verdict: M.P. BJP leaders seek apology from Congress, Digvijaya Singh

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday (July 31, 2025) demanded apologies from the Congress for 'crafting narratives like Hindu terrorism' after a court acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. A special NIA court in Mumbai, in its judgment, said that the prosecution 'failed to prove the case' and that the accused 'deserved the benefit of doubt' while acquitting Ms. Thakur, Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit and five others. Six people had lost their lives in the blast on September 29, 2008, in Malegaon city of Maharashtra's Nashik district. Former M.P. Chief Minister Uma Bharti welcomed the verdict and said that the case was used to 'draft a theory of saffron terrorism' while accusing Congress leader and former CM Digvijaya Singh of being its 'originator'. 'The definition of saffron terrorism was coined during this case. Its originator was Digvijaya Singh ji and he was doing this work at the behest of [Congress leader] Rahul Gandhi. To defame Hindutva all over the world, the term saffron terrorism was coined in comparison to Islamic terrorism. And to prove the term, innocent people were made victims,' Ms. Bharti said, while claiming that Ms. Thakur and Lt. Col. Purohit faced severe torture in prison. While specifying that terrorism has no colour, Ms. Bharti claimed that the term 'saffron terrorism' was coined by those who were trying to appease the minorities. She asked what action will be taken against those who 'conspired against the Hindu community'. M.P. CM Mohan Yadav also took to X to hail the verdict and said that it is a 'blow to the Congress' narrow-minded mentality'. 'This verdict is a strong response to those who insult Sanatan Dharma, sadhus-saints, and the saffron flag. The Congress should publicly apologise to all Sanatani people,' he wrote. Meanwhile, Shyam Bhavarlal Sahu, an Indore-based businessman who was discharged from the case in December 2017, said that all the accused had been 'framed in a fabricated case'. 'I was framed under 25-30 charges in the case but we have received justice now. The Congress' conspiracy has been exposed. The party should apologise for its conspiracy, though I don't think it will,' Mr. Sahu said, speaking to news agency PTI. 'While I was in jail after my arrest, my elder brother Mohan Sahu used to come and support me during court appearances. During an appearance, he suffered a heart attack in front of my eyes and died about half-an-hour later. I could not do anything to save him,' said Mr. Sahu, who was arrested in October 2008.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store